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The 'Original' Creative Crafting Magazine written by Crafters, for Crafters

Creative Crafting magazine began in August/September 2009, when a group of crafting friends on the Creative Connections network decided that it would be a good idea to raise awareness of the crafting community. From this point they started work and the first issue of Creative Crafting was published in October 2009 and are still publishing today.

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Hand Painted Silk Cards

Suitable for ages 8 and up, or younger children with parental supervision.

Adults will love this too!

Always do your painting on a wipe-clean surface, and wear an apron. The outlines in the kit have a special backing which means you do not need a frame.

Put a little paint in your palette. The colours can be mixed (for instance, red and blue make purple, while yellow with a hint of blue will make green). If mixing, always start with the lighter colour and add a little bit of the darker colour to it. You can dilute the colours with the white paint, or with water. This will give more pastel shades.

Dip your brush in the palette, and touch it to the silk – the colour will spread on to the silk so you don’t need to paint too close to the lines.

It’s a good idea to finish one colour before moving on to the next. Ensure your brush is clean by washing it in the water pot.

Yellow with a hint of blue will make green. When doing smaller areas, only dip the tip of the brush into the paint. Any overflow will stain the silk, but you can often remove most of it with a clean wet paintbrush and kitchen towel, if you try before it dries.

When painting a larger area in a custom colour, do make sure you have enough paint to cover the full area.

While the silk is still damp, you can paint over some of your work in another colour, if you like. Try painting stripes or dots on top, and watch the colours move. You can also paint one area in several colours if you have two brushes and start one from each end.

Once the main outline is completed, you may wish to paint the border. To paint the border, first make sure you have enough paint to make it all the way round. Then, work both ends at the same time to stop one end drying and making marks on your silk.

Your card is now painted. Wait for it to dry (about 10 minutes), then iron it by placing a dry cloth (e.g. a tea towel) between the silk and the iron. Use a normal iron, and turn off the steam. Note that the cards may curl up while they are drying. This is normal, and they will flatten out again once ironed.

You can then start to assemble your card. Cut around the card to neaten the edge. You may wish to leave some of your border, or cut around the gold line. Glue the back of the picture using a glue stick, and place it on the front of the card.

Press the card until the glue has set.

Congratulations! Your card is now complete.

If you would like to paint your own fabulous silk cards, you can buy kits from my website. The kit includes everything you need to make 5 fabulous cards and comes in a range of designs.

If you would like a more challenging project and the ability to create your own outlines, try my “Silk Painting Starter Kit” instead, which has been approved by the Guild of Silk Painters. This includes one silk outline to get you started, along with everything you need to start painting on a frame. Just add a jar of water and a piece of kitchen towel!